WILDFIRE NEWS OF THE DAY - 031711

Wildfire NOTD subscriber Dan Ware, Fire Information Officer for New Mexico State Forestry, reported on three new wildfires burning in that state (1); prompting Curry County to impose a burn ban (2); nevertheless, firefighters in the northern part of the state are conducting controlled burns (3). Colorado's Southwest Conservation Corps is profiled in the next item (4); where record-breaking temperatures in Southern Colorado have authorities worried that wildfires may appear (5). With weather conditions prime for wildfires, Oklahoma firefighters fear they will see many more blazes before the season is over (6); while Oklahoma's Insurance Commissioner toured wildfire-devastated communities, offering advice on how to cope with the disaster (7). Texas Forest Service dealt with a 30-40 acre wildfire in Nolan County (8); and a wildfire in Hutchinson County burned 1,000 acres before it was finally contained (9); while Texas Forest Service has set up the Northwest Texas Operations Center in anticipation of more wildfires in a year that has already seen 3,096 fires that have burned 559,956 acres and destroyed 460 structures so far (10); forecasts indicating that the risk could be severe through April (11). Tennessee fire officials are reminding homeowners of the wildfire danger as spring nears (12); even as New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation reiterated the fact that the wildfire danger is high through mid-May in a state which regularly sees 2,600 wildfires a year (13). Firefighters will be setting a controlled burn in North Carolina's Great Smoky Mountains National Park tomorrow (14); and the Georgia Forestry Commission is employing a graphical information system (GIS) program from ESRI to help enforce burn bans within that state to reduce the incidence of wildfires (15). Central Florida is still having problems with dry conditions despite recent rain, Orlando District alone recording 20,000 acres burned since the first of the year (16). As part of the African nation of Ghana's efforts to curb bushfires, the judicial branch will be levying harsher punishments against offenders (17). The risk that uninsured or underinsured homeowners could drag down Australian taxpayer funds in Victoria during future bushfire emergencies is explored in the next article (18); while the next article revisits the issue of unclaimed bushfire relief money for survivors of the Black Saturday blazes (19). And finally, can I see a show of hands of who would like to fight lava-sparked wildfires in Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park!

(1) Three wildfires burning in N.M.

(2) Curry County OKs power to ban burning

(3) Foresters seize on ideal burn conditions

(4) SW Conservation Corp thin forests in fire season

(5) Record high temperatures add to wild fire worries

(6) Exhausted Oklahoma Firefighters Warn Of Severe Wildfire Risk

(7) Insurance commissioner helps wild fire victims

(8) Forest Service assists with small wildfire in Nolan County

(9) Grassfire burns in Hutchinson County

(10) TFS command hub sets up in Merkel

(11) Wildlife risks could continue through April

(12) Wildfire danger rises as spring approaches

(13) Commissioner Martens Reminds Small Communities of High Fire Risk Season and State Ban on Brush Burning

(14) Controlled burn scheduled for tomorrow on Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville

(15) Forestry Commission Improves Smoke and Fire Management

(16) Despite rain, region is dry and wildfires are a threat

(17) Court to deal harshly with enemies of the environment

(18) Doubts raised over disaster cover

(19) Bushfire Funds Not Claimed

(20) Lava-sparked forest fire chars 1,166 acres on Big Island